


I’m Still Climbing (Even When the Rest Have Fallen)

by anidear



Series: Batman Bingo 2020 [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Big Brother Dick, Duke Thomas Needs a Hug, Duke Thomas-centric, Gen, Good Sibling Damian Wayne, Protective Dick Grayson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:27:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26351149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anidear/pseuds/anidear
Summary: After his first exposure to the Fear Toxin, Dick checks in on Duke.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Duke Thomas, Duke Thomas & Damian Wayne
Series: Batman Bingo 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1897684
Comments: 7
Kudos: 115





	I’m Still Climbing (Even When the Rest Have Fallen)

**Author's Note:**

> Batman Bingo 2020: "I'm fine. I'm fine."
> 
> I was going to make this longer, but everything I tried to write made it seem less genuine. And like I wasn't doing Duke justice. So this came out short and sweet. I rarely write this little, but I actually like the way it unfolded.

“ **I’m fine**.” When his words are met with silence, Duke looks up to find Dick just watching him, neutral expression on his face. “ **I’m _fine_** ,” he repeats himself, annoyed. Or exasperated, take your pick.

“You’re not,” Dicks voice is gentle, warm, and Duke feels himself deflate a little because of it. “And no one is expecting you to be. It’s okay to not be okay. Especially after a night like you had.”

Picking at a string on his duvet cover, Duke wonders how Dick always seems to know what to say. “That’s kind of hypocritical of you, you know?” He points out.

He’s met with more silence and Duke feels a twinge if guilt as he looks back to the food that Alfred had dropped off about twenty minutes earlier which he’d been picking at before Dick entered his bedroom.

“You’re always telling people you’re fine when we can all tell you’re not. If you don’t have to open up, why should I have to?”

Dick’s sigh is heavy. “Because I do open up. It might not be to any of you, but I do have people I talk to.” That was news to Duke. All the Wayne’s, Jason being the loudest, complained about how Dick always kept quiet about his own issues when he expected everyone to be open about theirs. Duke had never heard any of them say otherwise. “I’m not here to get you to talk about how you’re feeling anyway. I’m here to pick up Damian. I just wanted to check in on you after the events of last night.”

Last night. When he had faced off against Scarecrow for the first time and ended up with a face full of his fear toxin. He had heard all the experiences of the others in the family and knew that it was a bad time, but it wasn’t something you could ever really be prepared for. Even if the antidote was administered quickly, it was still a ride. 

Unfortunately for Duke, he had never had the “vaccine” and no one had expected Scarecrow to interrupt a fight with Penguin. So when he had been hit with the gas like the rest of them, he had suffered the consequences. Thankfully, Tim had gotten him back to the cave quickly. But he could still see the images of his parents hysterically laughing as they converged on him with crowbars.

Parents he hadn’t seen since they had vanished after being Jokerized.

Parents he hadn’t given up searching for.

“Duke?” Dick’s voice broke through the memory of the images the toxin had forced into his brain, pulling his gaze back to the older man.

“Sorry,” he muttered. The hand that came to rest on his upper arm was no a surprise. 

“We all understand. We’ve all been there. And maybe talking about it isn’t going to help you get over it. Maybe time is the only thing that will really do that. But,” Dick gave his arm a squeeze, “I do know distractions are a great help in not dwelling.”

Duke raised his eyebrows and waited for Dick to continue.

“I’m taking Damian to the zoo. You can come with? We’re going to get food after.”

Duke immediately shook his head. “No, he’d hate me encroaching on his time with you.”

Laughing, Dick pulled his phone out and showed Duke the text on his phone from the youngest Wayne. _Tell Thomas he should join us on our excursion today. I will be at least another twenty minutes. Jon is having a mental breakdown and he would certainly perish if I did not help him through it._

The snort that Duke let out at Damian’s comment about Jon took him by surprise, but it just made Dick’s own smile grow. “I guess I could join. I need to shower.”

“You do that. I’m going to go see if I can find Alfie’s secret stash.” Duke simply shook his head as the elder hopped off his bed and headed out of his room in search of something Duke was certain Dick would never find. Alfred was too good at that kind of thing.

It was close to twenty minutes later that had Duke showered and dressed, heading out of his room in search of Dick and Damian so they could leave.

“Come, Thomas. Richard informed me that you agreed to join us on our trip to the zoo.” Damian materialized out of nowhere, as he often did, but thankfully Duke had gotten used to it and barely flinched. Barely.

“He said he was going to try and find Alfred’s secret stash.” 

Damian’s eyes rolled. “How he has not perished from malnutrition yet is a modern-day miracle.” And yeah, Duke couldn’t help but agree. Dick’s eating habits certainly left much to be desired. “Then I suppose we should save him from the inevitable heart attack.”

“Yeah, we should probably do that,” Duke chuckled with a shake of his head as he followed Damian down the hallway to collect their older brother. And he couldn’t help but feel thankful that even if he was currently struggling internally despite what he told Dick, there were people who still cared enough to help prop him up. Or even carry him, should he need the extra assist.


End file.
